The Bold and the Beignet
by TreasureHunterGirl
Summary: While on vacation in New Orleans, Maya has more than one surprise in store for Rick...


A/N: Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it :)

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Rick shuffled his feet along the pavement. The sounds of the busy street meet his ears; cars driving past, people talking, camera's clicking and of course the unmistakable rhythm of jazz music.

"Stop," whispered Maya's voice close by, the hint of a laugh in her tone.

"Can I see where we're going yet?" asked Rick with eager impatience.

"Not yet," answered Maya. "We're almost there."

Her soft hands were covering his eyes and he was blinded to the scene of the busy New Orleans street.

"Okay let's go," said Maya, leading him onwards.

He stepped forward and stumbled a little.

"Oops!" giggled Maya. "Watch that step!"

"A little late to warn me," replied Rick although he too couldn't help laughing.

xxx

They crossed the street and as Maya directed Rick through the busy thoroughfare of tourists on the other side he felt the heat of the sun lessen slightly and the light penetrating his eyelids also became a little darker.

"Shade," he said half-guessing, half-relieved for it was a very hot day.

It was very noisy wherever they were and he could suddenly smell a strange sweet scent of cooking and oil.

"Table for two please," Maya was saying to someone else.

"Right this way ma'am," was the reply.

Maya continued to lead Rick through what felt like a cramped maze to him. She'd occasionally apologise to someone while he'd occasionally run into something. There was a slight stickiness to the floor which gently grabbed at his shoes every time he took a step.

"Keep your eyes closed," requested Maya as she removed her hands from his face.

She took hold of his shoulders and positioned him then said; "Okay, sit down."

He trustingly bent down and landed on the padded seat of a chair.

xxx

"Can I open my eyes yet?" he asked grinning.

"Not quite!" said Maya.

Rick heard her whisper something, presumably to the waiter.

"Not long now," she promised taking his hands in hers across the small table.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"I'm not ruining the surprise now," returned Maya.

xxx

Moments later the waiter returned, Rick heard the sound of a plate being put down on the table in front of him.

"Open your eyes," whispered Maya.

Rick opened his eyes and squinted in the bright light he wasn't yet accustomed to.

Maya's beautiful smile was the first thing he focused on and the second was...

"Jackson Square," he said prying his eyes away from the beautiful woman and looking over her shoulder. Indeed, the familiar lush green plants of the square itself and the line of horse (or mule)-drawn carriages along the curb were visible from where Rick sat.

He looked back at Maya and smiled questioningly. Still grinning, she glanced down at the table then back at Rick. He followed her eyes and saw a tiny plate, maybe even a saucer, with four heavily powdered triangular pastries crowded on it.

xxx

"What are these?" frowned Rick.

"World famous beignets from the one and only Café du Monde," explained Maya, her loving smile still in place.

At this she carefully picked one up with two fingers and took a bite. The crunch of the French donut between her gleaming teeth was audible from the other side of the table where Rick sat. Suddenly the sound seemed to be coming from every direction and Rick glanced around him. The dozens and dozens of tiny tables were all occupied by all sorts of people, all doing exactly the same thing; trying with great difficulty to eat the delicious deep-fried delicacies in the least messy way possible.

Amazed, Rick returned his gaze to Maya and found her still eating, white powdered sugar now resting on her face.

Maya, knowing that a sugar coated face is the inevitable result of eating beignets, laughed at the look of astonishment on Rick's face.

"Try one," she said encouragingly.

xxx

Rick picked up the one closest to him and tried to eat it without getting the sugar everywhere. It was a long process but at the end of his first beignet he is satisfied with his efforts and confident that there is no sugary residue left on his face. With a smug smile he silently hands Maya a paper napkin.

After thanking him and wiping her face her expression suddenly became very serious. Rick knew that look.

"Rick," she said fixing him with an intense gaze. "There's something I need to tell you."

xxx

"What is it Maya?" he asked, taking hold of her hand. "You know you can tell me anything."

"I know I can because we love each other and maybe there was a time when I doubted that I could tell you everything but I know now that we can always tell each other anything," she replied.

"Of course we can," confirmed Rick adopting his best sincere face. "Maya, I love you and nothing you could ever tell me would change that, I've told you that."

xxx

"What I have to tell you is something that you probably don't want to hear," continued Maya with all the seriousness she could muster. "But I have to tell. I can't keep it from you any longer."

"Maya," replied Rick. "It's okay, you can tell me anything. I love you."

Although Rick has declared his love time and time again and genuinely means it, he can't help feeling a little worried about what Maya has in store for him this time. Maybe this is why she insisted on coming all the way to New Orleans. He looks at her in puzzlement.

xxx

"Rick, I love you," Maya reiterated. "Words cannot do justice to what I feel for you, the connection we have is indescribable."

"I know that Maya," smiled Rick.

"Then you must also know that what I'm about to tell you, I say with the greatest amount of love that I can," said Maya returning the smile.

"Of course," answered Rick.

xxx

"You can tell me anything and everything Maya," declared Rick with passion. "Nothing can or will ever come between us."

"Oh Rick," said Maya adoringly. "I love you with all my heart."

"So do I," he replied. "Tell me what it is."

"Okay," said Maya taking a deep breath and smiling at her one true love. "Rick..."

"Yes..."

"You...you have powdered sugar on your nose."

Rick stares at Maya for a second and then a playful smile appears on her face. His mouth slowly curls into an identical smile and both laughing they lean in for a kiss.

However, unseen by Maya, Rick had dipped his hand into some excess sugar that had fell from the remaining beignets.

He cups her face in his hand and then as they break apart, while she looks lovingly into his eyes, he wipes the sugar right across her face.

"So do you!" he laughs pulling her into another kiss before she can react.

There's no place on earth either of them would rather be right now then covered in sugar at Café du Monde.

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A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review. If people like this I might write the other characters at Café du Monde :P


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